Ethical Standards, Principles, and Codes

The American Psychological Association established ethical standards and codes in order to help practitioners uphold a certain level of conduct and professionalism. More specifically, the ethical codes mainly serve as principles and guidelines practitioners should strive to adhere to while they are working. Ethical guidelines become especially useful when moral concerns or questions arise during therapy sessions.
The main principles that are fulfilled when a professional adheres to the American Psychological Association's code of ethics include: beneficence and nonmaleficence; fidelity and responsibility; integrity; justice; and respect. These principles are discussed in more detail in the section that follows.

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According to the American Psychological Association's (APA) Code of Ethics there are 5 general principles and 10 ethical standards (APA, 2002).

The general principles include:
Beneficence and Nonmaleficence
Fidelity and Responsibility
Integrity
Justice
Respect for People's Rights and Dignity

The ethical standards include:
Resolving ethical issues
Competence
Human Relations
Privacy and Confidentiality
Advertising and Other Public Statements
Record Keeping and Fees
Education and Training
Research and Publication
Assessment
Therapy

General principles are intended to guide psychologists toward maintaining a high ...

Solution Summary

This solution lists and briefly describes the general principles and ethical standards that are contained within the American Psychological Association's Code of Ethics (APA, 2002).